The Secret Ingredient (Wasabi) Part III: Wasabi Chocolate Pudding

Spice and chocolate have become so frequently seen together in recent years that I was not surprised when I spotted chocolate and jalapeno gelato the other day in the freezer section. It was this revved-up sweet-hot union that I wanted to explore using wasabi—a different kind of heat, but heat all the same.

This recipe began more as a kitchen experiment than a traditional recipe development, but I was so surprised that I kept it for The Secret Ingredient. I use something gourmet enough, wasabi powder, to add a boom-kick-pow to something quite a lot less gourmet—powdered instant chocolate pudding.

To deepen the chocolate flavor I add quite a bit of dark, unsweetened Dutch cocoa and brighten the flavor with lime zest and, to add that delayed, unexpected heat, the wasabi.

This recipe makes it hot—and hotter if it sits overnight—so consider this recipe a guideline, not a rulebook. Your family won’t know what hit them!

Wasabi Chocolate Pudding

Ingredients

1 5.9 ounce packet instant chocolate pudding

3 cups whole milk

¾ cups Dutch cocoa

2 tablespoons wasabi powder

Zest 2 limes

Procedure

Whisk everything together, spoon into your serving glasses, and refrigerate overnight. Top with a dash of wasabi powder before serving.